7 Tactics for Work/Life Balance

Maintaining work/life balance is the hardest thing to accomplish in adulthood. Many people today are too busy making a living that they don’t have time to make a life. Don’t expect to continue down the same path and get any significant changes in your life. Where you go with your work/life balance should be by choice not chance. Don’t focus on what you can’t do; focus on what you can do!

1. Ask Questions and Reprioritize

What are the things that cause me the most stress?

What memories am I creating? What memories do I want to create in the future?

What really are my top ten priorities for this year?

What non-priorities will I say “NO!” to this year?

What centers me?

Pursue your passion persistently!!!

2. Manage Time

Compass & Clock – they point you in the right direction and tell you how much time you have left.

Am I spending time doing the things most important to me?

When am I the most focused or productive?

How much of my day is reactive?

When does the office close?

Stay in a morning and bedtime routine.

Schedule “Unscheduled Time” – make an appointment for alone time to reflect, (i.e., “No commitments Saturday from 1-5pm.”).

Set a pace that works for you.

3. Organize

What am I really accomplishing?

What tasks in my life could I eliminate?

What tasks could be performed less frequently?

What tasks could I afford to pay others to perform?

What specific investments will I make in my core priorities this year?

4. Make Decisions

What 3 things do I need closure on?

What 3 things will be new initiatives for me?

What’s the cost of this choice I need to make?

Will this decision add value to my life or create more stress?

What sacrifices will I make to achieve my work/life goals?

Is what I’m doing today, worth talking about tomorrow?

When someone makes a request, don’t make an impulsive decision, instead stall: “Let me think about it and get back to you.”

5. Let Go

Let go of any toxic relationships or situations that drains your energy or exhausts you.

Consult with a therapist to work through any personal issues.

People are like elevators: Is this person going to bring me to the next level or are they bringing me down?

3 Responses

I have allowed myself to come to the conclusion that I will never catch up–completely. I have learned to live with the constant hamper of laundry and basket of “to do” junk.

I have no idea why I get so much junk mail and found it has little impact to keep returning the junk to the company, so now I throw it in the fire.

If I wake up exhausted and can’t face all the stuff I have to do, then I don’t do it. Perhaps I will pick up a pizza for dinner or just settle on a load of laundry, for example. Tomorrow can be more productive.

Nearly EVERY decision sort of goes into a mental priority filing system. Don’t bother to ask me to remember what I ate yesterday, but you can be sure the electric bill was paid last week!

PS I can’t believe people go on vacation with cell phones and computers (except to use in an emergency situation). Total MADNESS.